Matthew Lawrence Goss

It is with great sadness that Jerry and Devera Goss, parents of Matthew Lawrence Goss, are announcing Matt's passing on May 23 at the age of 35. Matt was a wonderful person. He was intelligent, creative and had a zest for life. He was adventurous, and had an engaging, charismatic personality that endeared him to anyone he met. Matt deeply loved his family, and they loved him. He is survived by his heartbroken siblings: Amanda, Alex, and Page Goss. He also leaves behind his beloved sister-in-law, Lacey Goss (Alex), and nephews Jackson Goss, Cameron Goss, niece Holland Goss, and nephew Ryan Carrigan (Amanda). Matt cherished being an uncle!

Matt was born on February 25, 1989. In Baton Rouge, he attended The Dunham School from preschool through his freshman year, where he was a member of the state championship football team, and Lee High School where he learned wrestling skills from Coach Bill Boffinger. In Baton Rouge, he met some of his best friends, Adam, Xander, Michael, and many others, who remained lifelong friends. Matthew finished high school and enjoyed success at The Oakley Boarding School in Park City, Utah, where he received recognition for his SAT scores in science. He also wrestled for Oakley and was named the MVP of their vaunted wrestling team and awarded All-State honors in his weight class. While at Oakley he also discovered a wonderful new way to enjoy the beautiful outdoors…snow skiing.

Matt’s next step was to Florida, where he enrolled at Florida Atlantic University. He graduated in May of 2013 with a BBA in International Business and Trade. He gained many friends during his FAU days, and through them, Matt grew into the adventure-seeking lover of life that defined who he was. He also discovered another life-long passion…. surfing.

After graduating, Matt headed to California to seek his fortune, surf waves, ski slopes, ride trails, and climb cliffs. Living in the LA area, he started Daku-Outdoors, a clothing line for outdoor enthusiasts. Through Daku, Matt unleashed his creativity and gained valuable business experience. After Daku, he began a career in digital marketing, working for companies such as Boardshorts, Snapchat, and Good RX. Matt moved from LA to Carlsbad, a small surfing community near San Diego. Recently, his friend Tyler brought him on to help launch a new and innovative app called Vylo Sports. Here, he raised capital, improved technology usage, and led digital/online marketing efforts.

As talented as Matt was in his profession, he always made sure to never miss out on experiencing life with family and friends. Our fondest memories of Matt were the times we were together as a family. Matt surfed daily and took trips around the world with his surfing friends (he loves you Nico, Guy, Josh and Sean). Surfing the waves in places along the California coast, the Atlantic coast, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, Indonesia, Bali, Sri Lanka, and the mighty waves of the Florida panhandle. When he was not surfing or working, you could find Matt camping by the beach with his friends at Big Sur and other beautiful spots in California.

For 35 years, against the odds, he refused to let his internal battles rob him of his zest for adventure. While Matt ultimately took his own life, his passion for life, the energy he exuded, and the loving presence he gifted to those who knew him is Matt’s legacy. It is exactly how Matt would want to be remembered. We take comfort in knowing that Matt loved his family, he loved life, and continued to affirm his faith in God, no matter how difficult his struggles were. We rejoice that Matthew is now in the loving arms of Jesus, experiencing the life Jesus promises to those that put their faith in Him. We will see Matt again.

The Celebration of Matthew’s life will be held at Grace Life Fellowship, 10210 Barringer Foreman Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 on Saturday June 15. Visitation at 10 am, Service at 11 am. Living in Carlsbad, Matthew regularly volunteered at First Step House of North County. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to them (fshnc.org).